Wages are on the rise for a broad swath of American workers; but is that good for stock markets? Answer: As long as they are earning their wage increases. Find out more in Jim McDonald's latest strategy piece.

After being on cruise control for most of 2013, risk assets hit turbulence in the first part of 2014. Volatility is a fact of risk markets, but what can investors do about it? Northern Trust’s Chief Investment Strategist, Jim McDonald, encourages investors to focus less on volatility protection and instead focus on understanding their volatility sensitivity in his latest report, Volatility Happens.

Through the first month of 2014, markets have shown heightened volatility and negative returns. Is this just a healthy correction or something more? Jim McDonald, Chief Investment Strategist, provides Northern Trust's thoughts in Gut Check.

Those investors who took on risk in 2013 were rewarded - especially in developed markets. But, with valuations slightly above longer-term medians, fundamentals will need to play a bigger role in 2014. Northern Trust believes they will, especially as governments' impact on growth becomes Less of a Drag.